Apparently, loyal readers (LR) spoke up as to what would make The Message a better Bible. It seems that verse numbers and the size of the Bible mattered a lot to the LR.
It seems that it never actually occurred to any of the LR that verse numbers and Bible size aren't that important. They should rather have chosen a Bible with a translation that accurately portrays what the Bible is saying and that doesn't water down the content of the Bible with all kinds of weak representations of what the Bible is deadly serious about!
Just two simple examples would suffice.
1 Corinthians 6:9
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality," ESV
"Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex," The Message
Complete concepts are missing in The Message Bible (if it can be called a Bible?!). Concepts such as the kingdom of God as an inheritance, deception, sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery and homosexuality! Abuse of each other and the abuse of sex can in NO way cover what the Bible really speaks of here.
Here is another example in which comments are not needed, since it should be glaringly obvious to anyone interested in the truth.
1 Timothy 1:9-10
"understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine," ESV
"It's obvious, isn't it, that the law code isn't primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, (10) sex, truth, whatever!" The Message
"Whatever!"? How could ANYONE think that this kind of misinterpretation is of any value to the Christian community? The Message is only half of the Real Message !
What do you get if the Bible you use is only half of the message? There is NO way you could believe "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!"
This "bible" should rather be called The Half-Message!
Just thinking...
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